Federation
The Federation, officially the Galactic Federation, is the oldest of the three major factions in the galaxy, the other two being the Empire and the Alliance. The planet Earth (Sol), birthplace of humankind, is the historic former capital of the Federation and regarded as the centre of human-inhabited space. The Federation loosely lies between the Alliance and the Empire on the galactic map. The Federation's current capitol is on the planet Mars The relationship between the Federation and the Alliance is one of tolerance. The relationship between the Federation and the Empire is one of deep hostility. The Federation is highly dependent on technology and is economically and socially Corporatist. In the period of rebuilding after the end of World War 3 on Earth (circa 2044-2055AD) the corporations became powerful and dominant. In modern times it is the corporations who are the life-blood and backbone of the Federation. It is rumoured that these corporations have such influence and power that they can even direct the Federal government, perhaps even to the point of choosing the President. Corruption and bribery are not unusual in the Federation and law enforcement has been known to turn a blind eye if the price is right. History The Tourist Spot 0165 beacon near Earth chronicles the ancient history of the FederationTourist Spot 0165 beacon near Earth. Mankind's first ventures into space were tentative and gradual. The early part of the 21st century saw the first manned spaceflights beyond the moon, but it took major population and economic problems to stimulate enough commercial commitment to start settlements beyond Earth. '' ''The Third World War saw this exploration expenditure dragged back again and it wasn't until the very end of the 21st century that colonies on Mars and the Moon became truly permanent and viable. After the war, the dominant power was the United States of the Americas, and as the remaining other countries joined it over the next few decades, it was renamed the Federation of the United States and later "The Federation" as the implied reference to one of the pre-war powers was a block to the remaining countries joining it. It had a constitution and laws derived from the earlier powers, but much simplified. Ranks Faction Ships * Farragut Battle Cruiser * Federal Corvette * Federal Gunship * Federal Dropship * Federal Assault Ship * F63 Condor Permits Permits are required to access certain systems that are otherwise locked out by the computer of your Frame Shift Drive (FSD). Such permits are rewarded by the the controlling faction for that locked system, when you become friendly with that faction, by accomplishing missions such as "Federal dispatch" and receiving ranks. You can often find that faction on a station outside the main system they control. Once finished several dispatch quests, simply visit the Bulletin Board at any of the faction's stations to accept a job titled "Federal invitation". Accepting the job automatically adds the permit to your FSD computer. Minor Factions History The Federation was formed circa 2240AD as a direct response to the colonists on Tau Ceti 3 ignoring Earth's demands to stop killing the native wildlife (to near extinction levels) over a period of approx. 20 years. The newly formed entity was then able to cast great influence throughout known space. The founding members of the Federation are: Earth (Sol), Tau Ceti, Delta Pavonis, Altair, and Beta Hydri. The Federation has always seen itself as the major power in the galaxy. From the very beginning, long before the Empire or Alliance existed, it took upon itself the task of policing the galaxy and being the peacekeepers. While sometimes not in the best interests of minor factions involved, the decisions made by the Federation are usually made for the benefit of its citizens. Notable Presidents'''Data taken from Tourist Spot Beacon 0201, Sol system 2599-2607: Sadiq Kessler (Federal President in 2599-2607) 2862-2866: Issac Gellan (Disgraced - lost Vote of No Confidence (VoNC) 2866-2874: Olaf Smith 2874-2882: Jeremy Tann 2956-2960: Verity Campbell (Lost VoNC) 2968-2976: Ulrich Vale 2976-2984: Grant Keller 3008-3016: Tyrell Biggs 3184-3192: Loric Tander 3260-3264: Eugene Cooper (Unpoplar - lost VoNC)) 3264-3272: Antiona Madison 3300-3301: Jasmina Halsey (3300-3301 (Disappeared, see Starship One incident) 3301-Present: Zachary Hudson Lore Federation Congress '''Structure Federal Congress is made up of 500 Congressmen (the term for both men and women). They sit in Congress, which is in Olympus Village on Mars – which replaced its location in Washington DC early in the previous millennium. Location Olympus Village (a misnomer – it is now a sprawling metropolis) on Mars, and Congressmen are expected to attend in person to vote. Congress members Selection / Appointment Anyone can stand for election. They do not need to be backed by a political party or minor faction, but it helps. There are three major parties, Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians. Corporations generally do push (and fund) their chosen candidates or parties (eg Hudson), as do other special interest groups They are elected for an eight year term, along with a President, with a ‘vote of no confidence’ after four years. If the vote of no confidence succeeds then a full election takes place. A Congressman (or President) cannot serve multiple consecutive terms, though a Congressman can (and often does) become President immediately after a term as a Congressman. System Representation Every Federation system has representation at the Congress, but generally a Congressman represents multiple systems, except a few (like Sol) that have more than one Congressional representative, based loosely on historic population. Phenomenal growth in the outer systems has meant that they have little representation in Congress, and there is frequent discussion about creating many new Congressmen to address this balance, but the various power blocks realise it will change the balance of power away from the core systems, the very people who would have to vote it through – so many agree it is unlikely to happen in the near future. Tenure Up to eight years. They can get voted out after four, as above. Day to Day Responsibilities Congress persons spend their days representing their constituency. They can also hold other office as part of government – for example chairing committees etc. They are not allowed to have corporate interests that might conflict with their political roles (though quite often some hide them via their friends, spouses etc, and not all get found out) Do Congresspersons change when their system's controlling Minor Faction is flipped? Not until their term is up, but their life could become difficult, so they might resign, triggering a local election. ''- Governments and politics in Elite Dangerous Governments and politics in Elite Dangerous by Michael Brookes'' See also * Federal key people * Federal hierarchy * Events References Category:Factions